Good ol' Tactical Machining is supplying the lower. This will be my build thread, and I will update accordingly from receipt of lower by UPS to test fire. It may take a while with a baby on the way, but it WILL happen. Carry on men!

Are you using the jig from TM to do your machining as well? I recently started machining two 80% lowers from TM with the jig and let me tell you, it significantly cuts down on machine set up time. I only got as far as drilling and reaming the trigger, hammer, and safety holes before my buddy had to close up shop. My other coworker managed to finish completely machining his lower.

I was coming here to ask, is it easy to mill the FCG without the jig plates? As long as I can make some plates to hold the lower perpendicular to the machine spindle, should be fine right? I'm going to program the FCG in Mastercam and run it on a VMC.

I machined out the jog in the jig plate (TM 1001) - in relation to the lower, it is located directly above the safety selector hole. It seems as though Stagarms machines theirs out too and does not leave the additional material. I used a 1/2" endmill to machine out the rear pocket and did not machine the full depth per print. Again, when i measured the stagarms lower, they only machined down about .520" and the print (and tactical jig) suggests, .625" deep.

I'll have to take some photos of my new setup that I made. Running modified TM plates in a Sherline angle plate with two large clamps on the sides to hold the outer plate in place. No vices required for this setup. Mainly beneficial because I'm running it on my Sherline bench top CNC.

I machined out the jog in the jig plate (TM 1001) - in relation to the lower, it is located directly above the safety selector hole. It seems as though Stagarms machines theirs out too and does not leave the additional material. I used a 1/2" endmill to machine out the rear pocket and did not machine the full depth per print. Again, when i measured the stagarms lower, they only machined down about .520" and the print (and tactical jig) suggests, .625" deep.

The little nub that you took out is only needed for a DIAS. If you don't want or plan on having DIAS functionality then you don't need it. A couple others do that. Some even leave material all the way across closing off the rear pocket where the pin is. The shelf height depth is also for auto sear. You can go shallower since you are not worried about it.

To the OP, you will use the jigs more than you expect. I did my first 5 and just ordered 10 more paperweights.

.22 conversions completely replace the .223/5.56 BCG with an assembly that includes bolt and recoil spring (there is no buffer) in the same space as the original BCG.

the buffer and spring in the tube in the normal configuration are completely redundant (if installed).

I'd rather not use a conversion, I'd like to use a dedicated .22lr upper. I hope this is an option. So if I get a .22lr upper, it has a recoil spring integrated in it, so my buffer tube will not have a spring, it'll just be used to mount the buttstock?

I'd rather not use a conversion, I'd like to use a dedicated .22lr upper. I hope this is an option. So if I get a .22lr upper, it has a recoil spring integrated in it, so my buffer tube will not have a spring, it'll just be used to mount the buttstock?

most dedicated uppers have essentially the same bolt carrier as the conversions just sans the .223 cartidge-shaped adapter at the front.
so correct, your buffer tube will need neither spring nor buffer.

I'd rather not use a conversion, I'd like to use a dedicated .22lr upper. I hope this is an option. So if I get a .22lr upper, it has a recoil spring integrated in it, so my buffer tube will not have a spring, it'll just be used to mount the buttstock?

I've been browsing Duracoat colors , and I'm leaning towards a dark grey receiver and the rest all black. As of now, I'm waiting on my TM A/B plates so I can get the machining done, BDM 10-rounders and buffer-tube kit en route.